The Lord of War
Before joining the Council Early life Born on the 23th of Leaffall, in 1359 in the warn-torn region of Anralog, The Lord of War, was given the name of Alfred, under the noble house of Aistul. As a child he was trained by the best men his father could find in the various styles and arts of combat. His mother died when he was a little kid and his father remarried an Elven duchess, hoping to solidify an alliance. In 1371, his sister, Amarys Aistul was born. He grew quit fond of her, despite holding resentment towards her mother. He then disappeared on his 16th birthday and his family never heard of him since. Missing years Captured During a hunting trip in the morning of his birthday he was kidnapped by a band of slavers. He kept his noble ancestry hidden from them, knowing they'd ask for ransom and his parents would most likely not be able to afford it. Fearing for his life he told them he was a traveling sell-sword. Not believing his story, the slavers made him fight in the pits for a long time before someone eventually came and bought him, almost two years later. Getting the curse After being sold to the mage Dengar, he, alongside seven other boys around his age found themselves to be the target of his sick, magical experiments. Seeking to master the werewolf curse, Dengar inflicted it on all the boys, making them eight out of the nine original werewolves to appear in the world. The next eight years were a constant ordeal, spent under constant torture, trying to grasp control over his beastly side. Results didn't fail to come, as, in time, all the original werewolves managed to gain the ability to transform at will, however, the secret to control their actions during that time still seemed to be far from them. The sorcerer grew tired of constant failure and his methods became even more brutal and extreme. Fed up with everything, the eight wolves turned against him and made a run for it. All of them agreed never to get together ever again, in order to avoid being used as a weapon. During their escape, they destroyed the grimoire containing the curse itself and made a vow to not inflict others with the same curse they had. That vow, however, was short-lived, as more and more werewolves spawned from the sirelines. Isolation Alfred, however, remained true to his word. Living isolated from people he refrained from spreading the curse. He also discovered a side-effect of the curse: he was now able to use magic, to a certain degree and spent some time pursuing the tales of the Eldirch Knights, learning how to use their powers. Aged 26, he never sought out his family, although he had heard rumors that the house of Aistul lost it's footing in the land of Anralog and his father was no longer considered a noble. Wishing no ties with his former life, he remained hidden, interacting with very few people. During those years, the only friend he found was Ecaterin Enc'Tuis, a changeling who helped him gather information and staying hidden from prying eyes. The two formed a rather strange duo, but became closer during the years, nonetheless. However, not even a master manipulator as Ecaterin was could not keep him hidden from the magical powers of Dengar. Forced to flee once again, Alfred left Anralog for what he hoped to be the rest of his life. Settling in the forest of Kytbrolon, his link with nature grew, not despite of his curse, but because of it. He gained the respect of the rogue elves governing the thick forests and was welcomed along them as one of their own. The Forest of Kytbrolon It was among the wood elves of Kytbrolon where Alfred met Ella Naïlo. The two quickly fell for one another. When that happened, he tried fleeing, fearing that he may kill her during the full moon or, even worse, turn her into a werewolf. Ella, however, managed to catch up with him as the moon reached its highest and stayed with him throughout the night. For the first time since being cursed Alfred felt not only at peace with his wolf form, but in control of it. The following morning he remembered everything and, every full moon after that was no longer a burden, but a blessing. For a long while he was actually content and happy with his life. But, being the first werewolf to master the beast within, he attracted attention towards himself. Eventually, Dengar found him and captured Ella in an attempt to get him to join him as a testing subject once again. Trying to rescue her, Alfred left Kytbrolon and searched for Dengar's hideout. Finding it with ease, he walked right into a trap. His skills with the sword were unmatched in single combat, but he was outnumbered and eventually succumbed to the hired men that were awaiting for him. Dragged in chains in from of the sorcerer, he was forced to witness Ella's death. Filled with primal rage he lost control of himself and the wolf emerged once again, only bigger and stronger than before. His grey fur had turned completely white. Breaking free from his links he killed everyone, in a rage that he never experienced before. When Alfred finally came to his senses, he had no idea what had happened. Meeting Kamilia Something felt off. He was nowhere near Dengar's hideout, the leaves of autumn which were laying on the ground when he walked inside had been replaced by green grass. From what he could gather, he missed almost an entire year. Walking around the forest he met a young Aasimar girl. Approaching her, he tried to speak, but his throat felt strange. Nothing was coming out of it, other than grunts and growls, thus reinforcing his feeling that something was off. Scared of what might happen, Alfred tried backing away from her, but stumbled and fell down. Kamilia calmly walked towards him and leaned in, touching his face. "It's okay, little wolf. You can't harm me." ''he could hear her voice inside his head. Somehow still uneasy, but soothed by her warm voice, he let his guard down. Trying to speak once again, he failed to find his voice, but was reassured by the girl that she could hear his thoughts and see his soul. Not believing it at first, he followed her for a while, learning about what happened when he lost himself. It hadn't been one year. Four of them had passed. Not knowing what to do and being sure that there was nothing to return to in Kytbrolon, he joined Kamilia's quest at finding people to form a new order in Anralog. Impressed by her abilities and, although reluctant to believe she was of divine origin, he still realized she was no ordinary girl. '''After joining the Council' Early years Returned in Anralog and back to his former self, he made a decision about which seat he would fill. Born in a war-torn country, fighting a war against himself and one against his enemy, Dengar, for almost his whole life, on the 21th day of Summertide, in the year 1395, Alfred Aistul was dead for most of the world and The Lord of War was born to take his place. Acting as Kamilia's bodyguard, at first, that's how he got the name of "The Empress' lapdog". During the first years of the Council he sought out Ecaterin and his sister. They both joined the table, taking little convincing. Preaching on parity and balance, Kamlia insisted that Amarys took the mantle of the Lady of Peace, which she welcomed at its fullest. Ecaterin and Alfred conducted many missions together in their attempt to secure Anralog. Quickly, the fear of the Council itself and its power brought everyone in line: all the small nobles and the cutthroats alike. What followed was a rather peaceful period for the land. Amelie of Lenve It was during this period that the other Lords took their seats. When meeting Amelie of Lenve, Alfred could feel that there was something off with her. He could smell something on her, but didn't know what it was. That, however, didn't stop him from falling in love with her and her ability to keep his wolf side in check. The two enjoyed a few quiet and happy years, in which they were rarely summoned by The Empress. That peace and quiet was burned to ash when the Lord of War learned the truth about The Lady of Sorcery: her mother was the creator of the werewolf curse and it was because of her that the curse got to Dengar. Feeling used in a desperate attempt to undo the curse on her brother, Alfred left Amelie and went back to Izalith to be with Amarys, Kamilia and Ecaterin. Lauren When the Morningstar had been captured by the College of Mages in Empodio, The Empress summoned all the lords back to Izalith in 1409. That was the year when the final seat at the table had been filled by The Lord of Shadows. Alfred immediately felt he was a threat to the cause and to the Empress herself, but his warnings fell on deaf years. Kamilia seemed to be trusting him. Ever since that year the two never got along except for when the cause required it. For the following years the Lords were rarely allowed to leave the capital without a special directive from the Empress, as the moment they have been waiting was soon to come. In 1440 most the others have already taken an apprentice, at Kamilia's request, in order to have a handful of trustworthy people to work for them. He was amongst the last ones to find one, along with the Lord of Shadows and the Lady of Death. During a routine mission he found a slaver encampment within the borders of Anralog. He made quick work of them all and there he found a young girl. He took Lauren with him back to Izalith and, since she had no family, he took her under his wing, training her to become his apprentice. Forming the pack Twenty years later, Lauren became his second in command and he acted like a father for her. During a battle she was mortally wounded. Not wanting to lose her, Alfred broke his vow for the first time since he fled Dengar's hideout the first time: he turned her into a werewolf to save her life. Lauren, through the healing abilities of the curse, managed to overcome her injuries and life to fight another day. The Lord of War spent most of his next years trying to train her to control the beast, while traveling the land to find soldiers for his elite group. Ecaterin often accompanied him to take any men he refused into his army. The two formed an efficient military organization: Alfred was the organized spearhead, striking with surgical precision, while Ecaterin lead the warhammer which swept away any resistance left. It was during this time that he met Leo and Arven. During the Campaign ''' '''Act I The Empodio Chapter After the general meeting of the Council, to which all the apprentices where asked to come, during the full moon of The Fading of 1462, with Lauren, once again, battling for her life, The Lord of War spent most of his time training Arven and the other members of his group to become werewolves. The only one who refused his gift was Leo. In the following week, out of more than twenty men, only eight survived to become the first wolves of his pack, after Lauren. When the Abyss was detected in Empodio, where some of the apprentices where, he was summoned, together with all the Lords. Before the battle he informed his men that from that day, they would be known as The Hollow Claws. The Yarnam Chapter After the battle of Empodio, Alfred, mad at the Lord's of Shadow manipulations, returned to Anralog with his pack and trained them to better control their transformation, letting Lauren take care of the others. Angry about what happened, he tried seeking an audience with Kamilia to get him out of the Council, but she refused, stating that it was a crucial time and an imbalance at the table would have been undesirable. Still upsed about the loss of Mam'Ata he made a compromise and started to research the Abyss with Amelie. When news of the death of the king of Yarnam reached Anralog, he prepared to go to battle once more. Lauren arrived shortly with Freya which was left in a secure room in Izalith to get through her transformation. Shortly after, the Abyss manifested itself again and all the Lords went to the Essari Tower. There, they found an empty room, with the Triskelion still in place on the altar. After the Lords secured the place, he remained back with his men, Lauren, Ecaterin, the Lord of Shadows and The Lord of Life, waiting for the portal to open again and see if their apprentices would emerge from it. Personality and traits "One cannot learn the true meaning of peace, nor achieve it, without going to war first. You want to negotiate with the enemy? You are free to do so after I'm through with them, sister." '' — The Lord of War to The Lady of Peace A human man, with pale skin and dark-green eyes, Alfred wore his hair to shoulder length and rarely took care of it's aspect. He's a tall man and, when on the battlefield, he often radiates a presence of strength and courage to his allies and fear to his enemies. In his youth, inheriting his father's temper, Alfred was often impatient and reckless, making rash decisions. Being trained to kill since birth by the best men the House of Aistul could afford, Alfred developed into a good fighter. However, knowing he was good he often let his arrogance get the best of him, losing solely to the tendency to underestimate his adversary and overestimate himself. Another disadvantage he had was that he despised working with another person, preferring to do everything alone.Both of those flaws proved to be almost fatal to Alfred multiple times. After being captured by the slavers and forced to fight in the fighting pits, he learned not only to accurately evaluate his enemy, but also the difference between honorable warriors and lowlife cutthroats. Fighting fair, despite his opponents trying not to, Alfred came to value honor and chivalry above all else, holding no respect to cowards and people who betrayed their comrades. Trust came hard to him but, once earned, there were very few ways of losing his friendship. Loyalty always played an important part in his life and, after escaping Dengar's hideout, he made the first solemn vow of his life which remained the only one he ever broke. From that day forward he held promises in high regard, staying true to his word. However, the influence of Ecaterin in his life made him very careful at the wording of a vow he made or accepted from others, weary of loopholes. During the years spent with Ella, he became calmer, wiser and warmer to others. Her death, although impactful, was not enough to push him back to the darkness he was in before. Alfred built a set of walls between him and the others, keeping a mask of certitude on most of the times, even if he doubted himself and his actions at every turn. A born leader, he always denied that part of himself that is capable of leading, not wanting other lives in his hands. Though, once he accepted this, he became one of the most inspiring military commanders Anralog ever had. By the end of his first years at Kamilia's side, Alfred regained control over his wolf side. However, he retained some of its aspects as a human: the link with his pack and the primal wrath present in the animal, which would sometimes emerge during the heath of the battle. His temper diminished during the years and his patience increased, but so did his anger when he lost the first two. Fighting remained, from childhood to the present day, his favorite response to any problem. '''Relationships' Amarys Aistul “What happened to that sweet little boy who always took care of me? You were never like this as a child." "As a child I never had to face the things I faced in the last decades. Mentalities change. People change. Times change. War suits me so this is who I chose to become. You never knew me, '' ''even as a kid. There were things you were kept from." '' ''"You think I grew up to be as naive as I was when I was four? I knew a while after you disappeared about the training you got. Do you think dear old dad would let his bloodline die? In order to make me his heir he trained me like he did you. Even worse, probably, because I was a girl. I know what you had to do and learn. Yet I choose peace instead of bloodshed." "Doesn't that make us an interesting duo? We'll have a lot of time to argue about this. I missed you, Amarys. Let us speak of more pleasant matters" — Alfred and Amarys Aistul, meeting for the first time as adults Being unable to meet with his family for years and then choosing not to pursue them, it came as a big surprise when Ecaterin actually managed to find her alive and convince her to meet him. As kids, the two of them got along pretty well, despite the age difference. As adults, they realized they had little to nothing in common. Their first meeting in years culminated with a heated argument during which they managed to find or rekindle the bond between brothers. After that, Amarys agreed to take a place at their table and accepted Kamilia's request to take the mantle of the Lady of Peace. Although the discrepancy between their roles was expected to make things worse between them, it actually helped strengthen their bond and make them grow. Alfred learned that peace was not always a bad option and it could save both time and lives, while Amarys came to accept the fact that if you want peace sometimes you must prepare for war. Having had a small falling out when Alfred decided to live with Amelie, the two made up as soon as Alfred found about the Lady of Sorcery's betrayal. Since then he always held her advice in high regard and listened to her when she had something to say. The two, although different, make up the most efficient duo at the table when it comes to taking decisions and rely on one another both in combat and outside it, always watching each other's backs. Ecaterin Enc'Tuis "Who are you? Why did you help me?" "Who I am is not important, my message is." "And what is your message, then?" "What if I told you that there's a future out there in which the two of us fight side by side?" "I'd tell you you're a madman!" "And perhaps you'd be right. But so am I, Alfred Aistul. Our paths will cross again." "How do you know that? And how do you know my name?" "That is for me to know and for you to find out!" — Ecaterin and Alfred during their first meeting. After meeting in chaotic circumstances, during Alfred's isolation in Anralog, the two had a rocky start, at best. Distrustful of Ecaterin's ways, Alfred tried to keep him at arms length, close enough to use his resources, far enough to not give the wrong idea to the changeling. However, the two spent most of their time caught up in interminable conversations about whatever came at hand. It was Ecaterin who taught Alfred to be weary of who to trust and who to give his word to, and it was Alfred who taught Ecaterin what it meant to be bound by honor and loyalty. When Alfred was forced to flee Anralog for good, Ecaterin promised not to seek him out, fearing that Dengar may soon follow. True to his word, the changeling never looked for his newly found friend during Alfred's years in the Kytbrolon. However, he heard about Ella and her kidnapping and, trying to help, rushed to the sorcerer's hideout. When he arrived he saw the bloodbath Alfred left, he saw Ella's body, being the only one still recognizable, and he saw the wolf paws leading into the forests. After burying his friend's lover, knowing that's what he would have wanted, he followed his tracks, but was surprised to see Alfred never turned back into a human again. Realizing the fact that things were out of his hands, Ecaterin dedicated some of his resources to finding out more about the werewolf curse, in an attempt to bring back his friend. He failed to do so, and assumed the worst. However, years after the incident, when rumors started to reach his ears about a certain warrior with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf returned to Anralog with a self-appointed Empress, he knew that the time had come for Alfred and him to fight side by side. Staying true to his promise, he didn't seek Alfred out, but in turn waited for him to reach out. When he did, Ecaterin quickly accepted his offer and the two continued their friendship from where it left off. Although different in the ways they approached problems and conflicts, the two formed a strong bond on the battlefield as well and, with the Empress' blessing, they eventually formed an efficiently organized army. Many have described the friendship between Ecaterin and Alfred as being toxic or abusive, but, despite that, people who met them and saw them working together saw that when working together, there's little to nothing they can't do. Kamilia "Why are you doing this? I get it, wanting to help, wanting to make a difference, but what you are aspiring to do is outrageously hard." "Well, well, Wolfie, nothing ever worth doing is easy, is it?" "Perhaps, but those people know nothing of you. Why would they follow you? Kamilia, this is madness, I've lived in Anralog my whole life, it's chaos in there" "And that's why I chose you to be my champion. You shall fight for me, shan't you, Alfred?" "You know I will. I vowed to serve you, didn't I?" "But that's not why you're doing it, is it?" The question remained unanswered as the two continued walking down the path. '' ''— Kamilia and Alfred on their way to Anralog When Kamilia was 14 she started encountering a white wolf. She had seen the very same wolf in her dreams and visions, so it came as no surprise to see it following her around. Her powers being still underdeveloped she didn't notice it at first, but when she managed to corner the animal she saw the man screaming from within. Using her powers she broke the beast's hold over Alfred and he regained his human form. When finding this out, The Lord of War swore loyalty to her until his death and vowed to serve her and her cause. Claiming to only follow her mad plan to take over Anralog and then the world only because of his vow, they both knew that he served her because he believed in her cause and that it would also give him something worth fighting for. The early years of the council were the best for their relationship, as it was then when they were at their closest. When the other lords started joining, Kamilia grew distant from him, trying to set some boundaries between the Lords. Alfred, felt hurt by this but didn't show it in any way. When the Lord of Shadows joined, their relationship became a little tense as Kamilia trusted him and Alfred didn't. However, after saving her life at great risk for himself, during an incursion into the Abyss in 1458, Kamilia found within herself the old bound they shared and The Empress grew closer to the Lord of War than ever. After the many years that have passed, Alfred was the only one who actually saw Kamilia for what she really was, partially because he met her as a wolf, not as a human, partially because she was different around him. Despite her childish mask, he was able to see her mind as it truly was and was amazed at its complexity and at the apparent ease with which she carried her burden. By the start of the Conquest Campaign, Alfred became sure that Kamilia was indeed divine and was one of the few people who actually acknowledged this without having solid proof. Lauren "Father? Is that you?" "I'm sorry girl, your father is dead." "But he said he's coming after me. Who'll take care of me now?" "We'll find someone to take you in." "Can't you be my father? You killed the bad guys." "I'm not made to be a father." "Please, please, please. I want to be strong like you when I grow up." "What's your name, little girl?" "Lauren." — Alfred meeting Lauren for the first time When he first saw her, in the slaver's cages, he saw something of him inside her. She had the same look in her eyes: afraid of what would happen, but content with any fate that awaits her. Not being able to contain himself, thinking about all the horrible fates that could await a girl sold into slavery, he saved her, however, with no intention of taking her in. Lauren, however, was determined to not let go of him as she clung onto his armor and wouldn't let go until he agreed to be her father. Not knowing what to do with a kid in a time of chaos, he took her back to Anralog where he trained her as his apprentice. Twenty years later she became his most trusted soldier and he came to consider her a daughter. Although protective and sometimes even concerned about her well being, he allowed her to grow into her own person. She, in turn, took Alfred as her role model and inherited his sense of honor and loyalty, as well as his fighting styles. When mortally wounded, Lauren was repared to say her goodbyes, but Alfred wasn't. Afraid that he'd lose control as he did when Ella died he inflicted the werewolf curse on Lauren and, during the full moon, she recovered from the injuries. However, a part of her had died that night, for the curse took its toll on her. Angry at Alfred she tried running, but understood that more than ever she needed him, if she was to ever be able to control her transformation. When finally able to turn at will and take charge of the beast, a link between Alfred and Lauren was formed as wolves, the link between pack members and, after seeing into his soul through this link, she forgave him for his choice, their relationship returning to normal. Powers and abilities Trained to fight with a sword since he was a child, Alfred became skilled in all styles of combat and all weapons. However, he mastered the sword and shield as he felt it suited him best. Trained in the art of duel, he was shabby when it came to fighting multiple opponents, but, after being jumped on multiple occasions by groups of people, he perfected his style as to be able to fend off more attackers at once. With the werewolf curse came his magic powers which allowed him to learn, master and perfect the Eldrich ritual of weapon binding: he became capable of summoning his armor onto his body, as well as transporting his weapons throughout the planes. Mastering mostly combat oriented spells, he opted for those which would be easily incorporated into his fighting style, thus learning spells like the ancient green-flame blade, booming blade, lightning lure, absorb elements and shield. He also gained the ability to quickly cast them in the middle of a fight, rarely being seen before finishing them. With his Eldrich potential came the ability to travel around the battlefield faster than the eye can follow, making it seem as he could teleport. As a leader, both in his human form and his wolf form, he's an inspiring one, often rallying his troops or comrades into battle against poor odds. In his werewolf form he gains inhuman strength and speed, his sense of smell and hearing increase and he gains the ability to instinctively feel his pack's thoughts. The curse had a particular effect on his sireline and allowed him and wolves he created to keep their keen smell and hearing while in their human form, although Aflred is the one who retained most of this feature. Although not made immortal, his aging process seemed to have stopped the moment he took his place at the table.Because of the divine nature of the Council and the cursed nature of his werewolf form, Alfred has increased healing abilities, an accelerated metabolism and, like most lords of the table, an artificially increased life spawn.